Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-12
JAPANESE GIRLS.
PHASES OF FEMININE LIFE In
THE ORIENT.
Social Bliss Which Changes With
Each Succeeding Meeting, and
the Old is Forgotten.
[REconD-Uy1oN Special corresDondenco !

tREcoED-USIoN Special Correspondence
TOXIC, October l, 1887.
For tender-hearted person travel has
its drawbacks in Japan-drawbacks is the
most expressive word possible, for l refer
to that feeling which possesses the male
heart on parting with pretty girl. If
you are at all susceptible in that direction
you can imagine the strain that would be
put upon you by possibly three partings in
a day, often more, sometimes less, but no
day without leave-taking from the pref
tlest girl you have ever seen. Imagine
the state a man would be in after a three
months tour in the land of lotus flowers.
An average of three partings a day from
your best girl makes the appalling sum of
two hundred and seventy heartfelt good
byes and promises to return Il included
February in my tour and thus saved six.
Providence is wise and by some
neat little arrangement manages so that
the parting pangs of one day are forgotten
In the next, otherwise the hardest-hearted
man would break down under the accumu-
lation and be obliged to give up eating and
drinking to devote all his time to signing.
Providence averts such dire consequences
by causing the last girl always to be the
best and the only one she absorbs all the
others. You are not inconstant at all :
you are true to your first love, and simply
transfer her attributes to the next. There
is great economy in this, which fathers
who foot their sons bills will be glad to
hear; it is less expensive to carry on rail-
ways or in jinrikishds ideal attributes than
buxom lasses. Did | not keep a journal,
could tell only of yesterday.
MOUNTAIN CLIMBING.
The brown-roofed village of Ashiwo is
left behind and far below, as | climb the
narrow path which leads through wild
gorges and over that pass in the Mikkozan
mountains which opens upon the chains of
valleys reaching down to the Tokaido and
the sea. The sky is gray; snow is falling
noisily upon the dry leaves, and each flake
shows distinctly in the air against the black
forest of cedars. The path is very winding,
steep and slippery, but can shorten the
distance by many a well-wern "cut-of."
Nearing the summit hear voices above
me, and looking up see train of pack
horses, loaded with strawbags, toiling
slowly, fastened to each other by ropes, over
| the frozen grennd, which is literally smooth
| ice; their straw shoes even do not keep
them from stumbling, at which the driver
cries Aubnai" Take careD There is a
driver to every three horses, to attend to
the pack and change the straw shoes, which
are worn out in few hours the road is
strewn with these Shoes and were it not
| for them, frozen fast to the ground |
should be unable to walk at all in the
steepest places. AS l pass shabby tea
house, man comes out and calls across
the ravine to the pack-train people, who
have crossed by sort of wicker bridge,
DO you remember? One to of millet
and the Satsuma potatoesw | am stand
ing on the bridge now and l stop to listen
to the answer, which comes distinctly
through the falling snow, clear, musical
and powerful: Wakarimashta
A NOVEL ACQUAINTANCE.
1t is woman's voice, the strength can
not disguise it, and l am presently by the
speakers side The pack-driver is a girl
Of scarce twenty years, short, but well
formed, as her tight-fitting blue leggings
show military cape is clasped on one
shoulder, one corner thrown back displays
the red lining and the blue cotton Jacket
and belt; blue kerchief fastened about
the head is held by two long brass pins
| This little woman is scarce five feet high,
but her rosy cheeks and bright, brown
eyes tell that the work is not hard for her.
She turns to me with smile which shows
white, even teeth. Honorable foreigner
has strong legs, but Nippon sandals will
help. Saw you coming and united these
for you," she says. We are friends at
once, and she stands cycling me with curl
osity as | fasten the sandals on with some
difficulty, as they are made for the digi-
tated socks Of Japan. My knapsack is
added TO the horses pack, and off we start
and soon catch up with the men and
women of the rest of the train. "White
pretty skin," she exclaims, pushing back
my coat-sleeve and taking my wrist II
surely does look white as it shows between
her brown fingers. Flattery will open any
mans heart, and | take from my pocket a
neat paper packet of sugar cakes which
was presented to me by the little waitress
at Ashiwo in the morning and give them
to the new embodiment of all the girls
ever left behind me.
| A NAMELEss CoQUETTE.
"Tank you," she says in English much
to my surprise, and laughs heartily at my
evident wonder, adding "Good morning.
while she leans sometimes against me
sometimes the horse to support herself in
| ha, Of 90 IL,
shall marry honorable foreigner. Learn
language now; have said ali my English, y
she continues in her native tongue "Wil
your Eighty | reply, as | remember
Koko and Katisha. "Willmarry you to-mor
row, when you are older" "What is your
name ?" l ask. 'Kashikoi," is the reply
at which all the other girls laugh Look
ing in my pocket dictionary | find one
meaning -sagaciouS- given, which l sup
pose is meant and so understand the joke
The road is through the valley now, anc
it is dark as we near Irimachi; lantern:
are lighted and take my knapsack. The
familiar roar of the Daiya river is hearC
again, and the eyer-turning mill wheels
are passed. Lights appear in the roaC
ahead.
Please tell me your name" l say.
VIII not tell you; call me Kashikoi.'
"There is an American custom, Kashi
koi, when two people bid good-by, the
kiss Do you like the CUSTOM"
Like it very much-to-morrow"
The last words come from the other sid,
of the pack-horse.
Gam Kashikoi Where are honorable
foreigners straw sandals? Thrown ava,
as soon as he reaches the valley. Girl
are straw sandals"
The lights prove to be Kanaya's sen
out to meet me.
I "Good-by, Miss Nameless; Kashiko
suits you we'll"
"Tank you. Good morning. and sh'
waves her lantern in adieu
Vanity is not the property of woman
alone, but her vanity always so prett,
and her manner of showing it so opel